Washington Co. commissioners honor former Pa. Trolley Museum leader
Mike Jones/Observer-Reporter
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s former leader Scott Becker is riding off into the sunset with a big honor from the Washington County commissioners.
Becker, who retired as director at the end of May, received a certificate of appreciation and plenty of praise from the commissioners as he leaves the museum in Chartiers Township that he led for 31 years.
“It really elevates everything what we do in Washington County,” commission Chairman Nick Sherman said during the board’s Thursday voting meeting while praising Becker and the trolley museum’s successes over the years. “You have done an absolutely amazing job, so we want to recognize you here today.”
Becker called the honor “very humbling,” but directed the moment back to his organization and the commissioners, noting that the trolley museum received support from Washington County officials when they invited the nonprofit to move from Allegheny County to its current location in 1954.
“You’ve been supporting us ever since and we really appreciate it,” Becker said. “Thank you so much. I’m very honored to accept this.”
Commissioner Larry Maggi has known Becker for years, and he said his personality and “magnetism” doing the job helped to attract volunteers and donations to grow the museum over the past three decades.
“Just an amazing person. I’ve often said if I ever have a company or organization I want him working for me. I want him leading the pack,” Maggi said. “He’s like the pied piper. … The amount of volunteers he has, the amount of people who go down there and volunteer their time to make this an asset in Washington County, it’s just amazing.
Becker’s successor, Jeanine DeBor, who served as the museum’s deputy executive director before starting in the leadership role June 1, attended the meeting alongside her former boss. Both Sherman and Maggi said DeBor has “big shoes to fill,” but they were confident she would maintain the excellence that the trolley museum has provided to the community under Becker’s watch.
“Just an amazing organization you have there, from what it was when it first started with guys who liked trolleys to being a world-renowned museum (and) events center,” Sherman said. “You look at great successes in Washington County and this is one of them. It is such a pride and joy we have.”